Material-unwinding apparatus



T. MGD. YANCEY I MATERIAL UNWINDING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 30, 1928 w @y A p,

if w ritenga Apr. 14, .ien

NI'TD Stat THORNTON MOD'UFFEY YNCE''-, 0.27? @AR PR'EC, ILLINOS, SSIG-NOR T0 'WESTERN ELEC- TRIO GOMPANY,`INGORPOMTED, (BF YORK, IN'. Y., GORPORATON OPE' NEW.

YORK

MTERm-UNWINDESNG PEMUS .f Applicaties met Noventa so, rasa, in. sears?.

This invention relates to material unwinding apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for unwinding strandmaterial from a rotatable supply thereof.,

f When unwinding material from rotatable supplies, particularlylarge heavy reels, the

material is, in some lnstances, subjected to excessive tension in starting the rotation 'of the supply reel due to the -tendency of the reel to resist turning. If by the use of ball or roller bearings the friction on the supply reel spindle is reduced to a minimum there,

being unwound from such reels are reduced to a minimum. f

The invention contemplates the provision ot means for controlling the rotation of a material supply reel in accordance with the ldemand of the material on the supply whereby the tension on the material is maintained substantially constant. In accordance with the novel features-of the invention there is provided in' one embodiment thereof a grooved ulley arranged to be driven by the" material eing unwound and operatively connected to the reel through a train off'gears constructed sas to prevent over-running of the reel. v

Other features and advantages ofthe invention -will become apparent in the followz ing description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a material unwindng apparatus embodying the features of the invention as employed in conjunction with a rotatable material supply reel, i Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof,

Fig. 3 is a` fragmentary side elevational view ot a portion oi the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and

Fig. t isa fragmentary detailed section r taken on line 41-4 of Fig. 2.-

Referring now to the drawing in detail wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, it will be observed that a reel containing a supply of wire or 'other strand maf terial 11 is shown rotatably supported upon a vertical shaft or spindle 12 4secured to a supporting base 13. The supply reel 10 is constrained to rotate with a worm gear 15 rotatably mounted upon the spindle 12. A disc 16,- secured to an elongated sleeve 17 formed prongs 18, 18 which engage correspondingly shaped apertures provided in the head of the supply reel. The worm gear 4lmeshes with a worm 19 secured to a horizontally disposed shaft 20. The worm 19 and the worm gear 15 are'constructed with their engaging teeth. of such pitch that the gear 15 is capable of i being driven by the worm 19 but cannot drive the worm. By this construction the Worm gear 15 and the supply reel 10 are positively locked against rotation'when the Worm 19 is not being driven. The shaft y20 is rotatably journaled in suitable .bearin blocks 21 and 22 secured to the supporting ase 13. A pinion 24 fixed upon one end of the shaft 20 meshes with an intdrnal gear 25 secured to or formed integral with a grooved pulley 26. The gear 25 and pulley 26' are rotatably supported upon a stud shaft 27 journa d in the bearing block 22. A grooved guide pulley 28-is rotatably supported upon a vertical shaft 30 secured. to t e base .13.' It will be observed that the guide pulley 28 is positioned so thatvits peripheral groove is in alignment with the peripheral groove of the pulley 26.

lIn the o eration of the 'abvedescribed ap; j

paratus, t e strand material 1J. passes over guide pulley 28 and. then makes one or more turns around the grooved pulley 26 whence it may be withdrawn as deslred by a twisting.

integral with the .gear 15, is provided with -a plurality of upwardly projecting lugs or machme or any other strand working a f paratus. It will ,be understood that t e grooved pulley 26 is-frictonally driven by the material being withdrawn in accordance with the tension of the material. In other words, the rotation of the pulley 26 is controlled by the amount of slippage of the material around the pulley which, in turn, is controlled by the tension of the material. The pulley 26 drives the worm 19 through the internal gear and the .associated vpinion 24. The worm 19, in turn, drives the worm gear 15thereby permitting and facilitating the rotation of the supply reel by the material being unwound therefrom. Upon the tension of the material decreasing below a certain predetermined value, as for example, when the demand on the supply is discontinued, the frictional driving contact between the material and the ulley 26 is so reduced that .the resultant s ippage of the material around this pulley is such that the rotation of the pulley by the material is discontinued. The rotation of the supplyreel 10 is thereupon also discontinued due to the construction of the worm gear 15 and the worm 19 which, as hereinbefore described, are so designed that the worin 19 is capable of driving the'worm gear 15 but cannot be driven by the worm gear. Thus it will be obvious that by employing an apparatus embodying the invention, obJectionable stresses and variations in the tension of material bein unwound are reduced to a minimum.

though only one specific application of i novel features of the invention are capable of various other applications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. In an apparatus for unwinding material from a rotatable supply, a member rotated by the* material in response to the tension thereof, and 'means responsive to the rotation of the member for controlling the rotation of the supply, said means comprising a worm and worm gear interconnectin the member and thesupply and constructe so as 'to prevent the supply from over-running the demand upon the material.

2. In material unwinding apparatus, a sup- I,

ly, means for guiding the vmaterial away om the supply, and a worm and means and the supply for preventing oversupply means for guiding the material away gear mechanism interconnected between the guiding rom the supply and driving .the same, an internal gear connected with said pulley, a

pinion Y meshing. with vthe internal gear, a worm driven bythe, inion,'an d a gear connected to the supply, t e worm and gear intermeshing to control the unwinding Vof the ,p

supplly. v

6. n material unwinding apparatus, a supply, a pulley for guiding t e material away from the supply and driving the same,

an idler pulle interposed between said pulley v and the supp y to conduct the material therebetween, an internal gear connected with said pulley, a pinion meshin .with the in ternal gear, a worm driven y` the pimon,

and a gear connected to the supply, the worm and gear .intermeshing to control the unwinding of the supply.

7. In strand material ap aratus, a vertical shaft supporting a supp y of material, a gear ke ed to the,shaft, afhorizontal driving sha a worm keyed thereto and meshing with the-gear, a inion secured to the horizontal driving sha t, an internaly gear engaging thefpinion, a rooved pulley connected with the interna gear, and a grooved idler pulley mounted on a vertical shaft, the two pulleys conducting the strand material away from the 'supply and the former having the strand material wrapped a plurality of times therearound for actugltiin 'the aforementioned horizontal to revent over-runnin of the material.

n witness whereof, my name this 21st day of November, A. D., 1928. Y THORNTON McDUFFEY YANCEY.

ioo

hereunto subscribe I I from tlie supply,- a worm connected to the gpiding means, and a gear connected wih t e supply, the worm and gear intermeshing to prevent over-running 'of-the material from.

the supply.

4. In material unwinding a paratus, a supply, a pulley for .t e material away from the suppl and driving the saine a gear connected to e supply, and a heh 

